Petitioner Sheikh Ahsanuddin, a member of the Justice and Democratic Party, had filed the petition against the Pakistan Muslime League – Nawaz (PML-N) supremo.

During today’s hearing, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked that the court did not consider the presented evidence contemptuous.

He observed that every individual has the right to comment on verdicts while staying within the legal parameters.

The petitioner argued that according to a media report Nawaz had said that the court’s verdict was an insult of over 20 million citizens of the country. He alleged that the PML-N supremo had scandalised the court’s verdict in his rally.

Justice Nisar, in response to the argument, stated that the limit might not have been crossed in the cited example.

“The limit may have been crossed on some other instance,” he said.

Ahsanuddin continued to argue that the party had not obtained the votes of 20 million citizens. Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan responded that the court too, exercises patience.

“There is a limit to the court’s patience,” Ahsanuddin argued, in response to which, Justice Ahsan stated that the court’s level of patience was greater than that of the petitioner.

Justice Nisar on Tuesday had said that the Supreme Court was noting remarks being made regarding the judiciary at present and would take up those cases ‘at an appropriate time.’

During yesterday’s hearing, referring to the contempt petitions, the chief justice had observed that the remarks in question were directed at the joint investigation team and not the apex court.

The contempt cases against late former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan Peoples Party’s Iqbal Haider were also declared ineffective and disposed of, as was the contempt petition against MNA Capt (retd) Safdar — Nawaz’s son-in-law.

The court had also wrapped up a petition against the holding of dual offices —president of Pakistan and army chief — by Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.-Web Desk